500,000 line LA streets for Lakers parade

LOS ANGELES, June 21 (UPI) -- A mostly orderly crowd estimated at between 500,000 and 2 million lined the streets of downtown Los Angeles Monday to celebrate the Lakers' NBA Finals victory.

Authorities said only nine arrests were made along the 2-mile parade route from the Staples Center along Figueroa Street to the edge of the University of Southern California campus, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Fans who had arisen before dawn to secure a spot along the route cheered wildly as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and other players -- joined by the Laker Girls cheerleaders -- passed by on flatbed trucks to celebrate Thursday's defeat of Boston in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Although police didn't provide a crowd estimate, unofficial reports placed its size from 500,000 to 2 million people, CNN reported.

Authorities announced Monday 10 people had been charged in connection with the destructive mayhem that followed the game.

Senior Assistant City Attorney Chuck Goldenberg told the Times authorities would take "a very hard stand" with those charged, seeking jail sentences of up to a year or more for offenders found guilty of riot-related crimes.